Be careful of rape in India – tips for female travellers and demand for justice

Having lived Delhi, I used this think that Delhi was a relatively safe place for women. There used to be incidences of crimes against women but mostly it used to go unnoticed. But now I am very concerned about the security of women in India. Day in and out, there are cases of brutal attacks on women. Having travelled in public transport especially on local buses, I too had my share of unwanted activities such as being whistled at and being commented by anti-social elements.

But a crime of unspeakable horror has occurred in Delhi that has left not only Delhi, the capital India but the entire nation thinking. One that hit the Indian psyche is the recent GANG RAPE of a 23-year old student in Delhi by 6 men who then beat the woman with iron-rods, robbed her belongings, stripped of her clothing and dumped her dying on the road. The woman and her friend had boarded an unlicensed bus to return home after watching a movie. The driver and other occupants of the bus closed the door and hit the friend with an iron rod. The woman was dragged to the back of the bus where Ram Singh (one of the rapists) raped her. The five other men also raped and tortured the woman and beat her friend with iron rods while driving the bus around the city. (Update: She is now dead due to organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain).

Warning to lone female travellers to Delhi

I would like to warn all female travellers to India to be extremely cautious in Delhi. Amongst India’s major cities, New Delhi has the highest number of sex crimes.

Female travellers should not travel on public transport such local bus services of Delhi especially at night. There are people who are looking for lone female travellers to exploit. Hence you need to be careful in India when travelling alone.

Many airlines to Delhi International Airport operate at night hence extra caution must be exercised when travelling late at night and getting to and away from the airport. Coaches operated by Airports to and from local and international airports are safe.

Some ways to keep yourself safe when travelling

Always keep a rape/attack alarm

Carry a self defence spray

Arrange for airport pickups

Try not to travel late at night, travel with a male companion or go out with friends

If you get lost, get some help from another woman, a shopkeeper, a policeman or phone your hotel

Never hitchhike or take rides from strangers

Carry a whistle and don’t be afraid to use it

Create a scene if you feel threatened

Do not eat what strangers give you

Remember most people are nice and very genuine and many would go the extra mile to help you. But you just cannot be too careful. Delhi is thought to the Athens of India, an ancient city with a glorious history and a buzzing metropolis. I will emphasise that India is a relatively safe country but from time to time, there are crimes against women that shock us. The golden rule is not to wear skimpy clothes, travel very late at night and if you can book a tour.

Note for Indians – Petition demanding death penalty for rapists

What kind of a nation are we? India is a nation where some of us kill girls before they even come out of their mother’s womb, so much that there are now more males in India than females. The last census carried out showed that there were 933 women for every 1000 men where the states of Haryana and Punjab are the worst culprits. This is what happens in a society that undervalues women.

This is a soul searching time for entire nation. Delhi might have taken the lead as the “rape capital” of India, but the problem encompasses the entire nation. The root cause is our own society, the way we treat our women and girls. Some of the crimes against women are not just rape; dowry deaths, ill-treatment and domestic violence are another ones.

We ask for the death penalty for rapists. This incidence in Delhi should be an eye opener. We cannot let this happen again. The girl has survived to tell the reality herself; often this is not the case. In many cases, they are raped and murdered. The rapists are never caught.

The perpetrators of rape should be treated the same way they force themselves on these helpless victims. We demand the capital punishment for rapists in India. India already has the death penalty for serious crimes but we need to extend this to rapists as well.

Capital punishment for rape

Unless we do not have stringent laws then these rapists will never have the fear of getting caught and victims will never get justice. Hanging is the only punishment that will serve the purpose. Some other remedies to this solution include; fast tracking dealing with crimes against women, setting up counselling centres at various police stations, having at least one female constable in all police stations and complete stop to all sex-determination tests.

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74 Responses to “Be careful of rape in India – tips for female travellers and demand for justice”

I have been working with expat clients and colleagues for more than 15 years and typically we have been warning them of uncooked food, pickpockets, auto drivers etc. Now it is only correct to warn them about rape incidents in India. What a shame we have to warn our guest that they are visiting an unsafe place, but I guess that is the right thing to do.Twitter: desitraveler

I was very sorry to hear about this atrocity in Delhi but as you say at least in this instance they have caught the rapists. I do hope the young lady in question gets all the support she needs to make as full a recovery, physically and mentally, as she possibly can.

It is right to make people aware of the dangers while remembering that there are good and bad people everywhere. Sometimes we CAN trust in the kindness of strangers.Twitter: travelwithkat

Kathryn, it is very sad to see these types of crimes against women. In fact they are worst of the worst crimes. Thank you for your comment and taking the time to visit the site. Best wishes to you.Twitter: bihar

I am glad you also raise the topic.Although your focus is more on girl safety and that is really great.

Points you mentioned is appropriate ,one more thing i recently got to know about a techqniue to hit the person who try to attack.This Techniques is very easy and can easily knock down anyone.I will mail you a picture showing how to hit,its really effective some agencies teach this to train girls and womens for protection..plz if you can share in your article.

Sadly, the morality of the Indian Male is on the decline and the nation has a cut a sorry figure for itself in the eyes of the world. I’m unsure as to what would bring this disgrace to a halt. It seems Indians don’t deserve Democracy.

I feel, females should be taught basic self defense techniques as that is one thing which they can instantly use whenever such attacks take place.

Hi Jay, the Indian male never was on the high moral pedestal. If they had been then we would not see crimes like these. What kind of messages we are sending out to the world about India. Did you know even a diplomat has been raped in Delhi. Wah Delli Wah!
I agree that females needs to be taught self defence, but what can you do if there are 6 men.
Thanks for your comment, hope to see you again.Twitter: bihar

Indian male never was on the high moral pedestal?
what a pathetic statement that is from u. it seems u made that statement and this article only to bring a bad name to Indian men. But the fact is that it is the Indian female who is on low moral pedestal which is evident from the way they behave especially now-a-days and the kind of clothes they wear in the name of freedom. girls from delhi even started a shameless rally. what kind of moral these Indian girls have? tell me.
and by the way rapes happen in all the countries even more than in India and the rapists do not even get punished in many countries. but obviously u will conveniently ignore it as u only want to target the Indian men because of maybe some insecurity.
hope u publish my comment

Wonderful post Shalu – and I’m glad you came up with this topic – something that I too was wanting to write about too.

It is amazing to see as to what levels people can go to. Though it’s not new in our country, what makes me wonder more as I keep a follow up about this case in the papers is how the politicians sit so quiet about it all! Yesterday when the girls suffered a heart attack did someone think of taking her to Singapore for further cure, something which I think could have been done earlier.

I agree to all that you mentioned regarding the safety measures foreign travelers need to take. However, I strongly feel that instead of stopping women from wearing clothes they wish to (of course not too skimpy!) or asking them to reach home before 6-7 p.m, shouldn’t the lesson of better parenting be taught to the people who do such crimes? I feel it all comes down to how such men are raised or the friend’s circle they are a part of.

We need more awareness in our country, with people taking strong action against such crimes committed and make it a safer and better travel destination place. I know of foreigners who are staying in our city, but are constantly teased and live in fear. They have now resorted to learning Hindi and wearing Indian outfit. Wish things get better soon, and we as a society can do much more by spreading awareness about it. Yes, I did sign the petition long back.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece and creating awareness about it. Twitter: harleenas

Hi Harleena
I agree that this is a men’s issue rather than women’s one but we do have to careful. I agree with you that children needs to be raised in a proper fashion. I am not sure about the background of these rapists but I assume they must be coming from fragmented homes. Something like this is really sad and should not be happening. Men are supposed to care for women not rape and kill them. I have been troubled by this incidence to this poor girl. I hope and prey she will survive.
Thank you for taking time to comment and hope to see you more. Take care.Twitter: bihar

I actually salute the men and women protesting and willing to brave the streets and police in India. I hope that the victims death will lead to real change in India\’s law and justice system. Condolences to the family and friends of the late victim. And best wishes for the physical and emotional recovery of the survivor. Justice will surely prevail. I hope that the suspects face the full force of the law and a lifetime of public humiliation. This is heartbreaking and my heart goes out to the victims family. I seriously can’t imagine the pain they\’re going through right now. The world is watching….

These are excellent tips Shalu. I hadn’t realized that this was so common in Delhi. The nation is certainly morning this unfortunate incident… I can’t imagine what it is like to be in India at this time. Nonetheless, you have beautiful country (and great food :)) and I hope that I can visit one day. Peace be unto you Twitter: ladyhoodjourney

I really felt my body weaken when I first read about the rape incident. I can only imagine the terror and the suffering that woman experienced.

I am also alarmed as my female friends and I are excited about our trip to India. I suppose we need to be extra careful.

Thanks for writing about the incident and giving tips that help. I also hope that this gruesome incident will begin the gradual change on how women are treated in India. May all women be treated with respect and dignity. Cheers.Twitter: ClaireMadarang

Shalu, you are such a dear! But since I travel a lot and I’m a woman, I keep it in mind that I have to be with someone whom I know very well. Probably a couple of male and female friends because you never know what will happen. I think this article does not only apply to New Delhi but to every tourist destination in the world. Rape and other crimes is inevitable. Let’s all be careful.

Women should always be careful, especially when travelling alone and being on places that they do not know anything about. And men should be more respectful towards females. They should remember that they have female loved ones like their mothers. Thanks a lot for the tip.. Will keep them in mind!

I think these tips does not only apply to tourism in India, but anywhere in the world as well. Now if you’re a female traveler, one should be sensible enough to have someone else you know as companion on your travels. It’s crazy if you travel in solitude. Especially in a foreign country.

We can be safe if we know how to be safe. If the situationn really calls for it and we need to travel all by ourselves to a place we aren’t familiar to, then our safety will be our responsibility. Know better and do better, right? Thanks a bunch for caring for women!

Excellent article and good tips for women to stay safe and defend themselves. I completely agree, men in Delhi are absolutely sleazy and shady characters. They are loud, rude and have scant respect for anyone let alone women. Case of genetics maybe? Majority are decedents of the barbaric Jenghis Khan after all and that barbarism still lingers in their genes. I am from Mumbai but traveled to many states in India on business and have compiled my own list of well-to-do to kachraa-Bimaru (horrible) states based on several parameters from Infrastructure to Education levels to Social Awareness to Law to General Public Empathy. I shall go from Worse to the Best

1) Worst State in India is Uttar Pradesh. (Unfortunately Taj Mahal (Agra) is there. So make it a quick one day trip to Taj Mahal and get out of there asap.)
2) Madhya Pradesh (Avoid)
3) West Bengal (Avoid)
4) Tamil Nadu (Depends which part of TN you are in)
5) Andhra Pradesh (Avoid)
6) Haryana (STRICTLY AVOID) and Delhi (Some really nice places too go to in New Delhi. Historic, markets, posh localities & shopping malls etc. in New Delhi but get back to your hotel before dark).
7) Uttarakhand (Avoid)
8) Bihar (Surprised -> Yes, good Job – Nitish Kumar)but not there yet still avoidable.
9) Maharashtra
10) Punjab
11) Rajasthan (Nice- Must go)
13) Karnataka (Nice – Must go)
14) The Best are Gujarat, Himachal, and
15) Kerala (Rightly called God’s own country)

Hi Praveen, I agree with you that people in Delhi are sleezy and sometimes down right rude. The language of Delhi sometimes is so bad that you don’t want your children to hear them.

As far as safety is concerned, it was never safe for women. Because of the recent incident, people are beginning to realise that it could be them next hence the protest. But I do not think its because they have real concerns.

Being from Bihar, I am thrilled to say that you have not put Bihar in the worst category. Yes Nitish Kumar has done a good job and I hope more improvement will be seen on the coming days.

Indian People are ruled by people who are just Busy filling money into there Pockets. No body cares for People. Indian Women are treated like servants. Its time to Change the thinking of Indian Authorities and Strict action should be implemented against these Racist.Twitter: onlinemoneyboss

firstly salute to you madam and I am glad you also raise the topic.Although your focus is more on girl safety and that is really great. but in my point of you Delhi is not safe for girls or women and Indian People are ruled by people who are just Busy filling money into there Pockets. No body cares for People. Indian Women are treated like servants. Its time to Change the thinking of Indian.its our responsibility to change ourself and change our thinking…

Here below are statistics of rape cases reported in 2011 released by ministry of home :
The worst is this shameful list is madhya pradesh which has had Three thousand four hundred and six cases of rape reported in 2011 (3406) .
West Bengal which is worst in over all crime against women comes second in the list which number of rape case reported in 2011 where 2363 (Two thousand three hundred and sixty three).
Uttar pradesh has two thousand and fourty two reported cases of rape (2042).
Rajasthan comes fourth in the shameful list with eighteen hundred rape cases reported (1800).
Maharashtra and Assam are fifth and sixth in the shameful list respectively, which has had seventeen hundred and one (1701) & seventeen hundred (1700) rape cases respectively.
Andra Pradesh with one thousand four hundred and forty two (1442) rape cases reported last year.
Kerala is seventh in the list with one thousand one hundred and thirty two (1132) cases reported last year.
Odisha is eighth in the shameful list with one thousand one hundred and twelve (1112) rape case reported last year.
Bihar with nine hundred and thirty four (934)rape cases reported last year is ninth in the shameful list.
Jharkhand with seven hundred and eighty four (784) rape cases reported last year.
Gujarat has had four hundred and thirty nine (439) rape cases reported last year.
Delhi city is rape capital of India with four hundred fifty three rapes which where reported last year . It is around 1.8 times more than rape cases reported in Mumbai last year.

Rape is worst crime according to me. It is crime which should be treated as murder . In murder a human looses his/her life , in rape victim is robbed of her/his dignity. It is murder of soul and often rape victims lives with the event till victim’s lives.and Indian People are ruled by people who are just Busy filling money into there Pockets. No body cares for People. Indian Women are treated like servants. Its time to Change the thinking of Indian Authorities

Here below are statistics of rape cases reported in 2011 released by ministry of home :
The worst is this shameful list is madhya pradesh which has had Three thousand four hundred and six cases of rape reported in 2011 (3406) .
West Bengal which is worst in over all crime against women comes second in the list which number of rape case reported in 2011 where 2363 (Two thousand three hundred and sixty three).
Uttar pradesh has two thousand and fourty two reported cases of rape (2042).
Rajasthan comes fourth in the shameful list with eighteen hundred rape cases reported (1800).
Maharashtra and Assam are fifth and sixth in the shameful list respectively, which has had seventeen hundred and one (1701) & seventeen hundred (1700) rape cases respectively.
Andra Pradesh with one thousand four hundred and forty two (1442) rape cases reported last year.
Kerala is seventh in the list with one thousand one hundred and thirty two (1132) cases reported last year.
Odisha is eighth in the shameful list with one thousand one hundred and twelve (1112) rape case reported last year.
Bihar with nine hundred and thirty four (934)rape cases reported last year is ninth in the shameful list.
Jharkhand with seven hundred and eighty four (784) rape cases reported last year.
Gujarat has had four hundred and thirty nine (439) rape cases reported last year.
Delhi city is rape capital of India with four hundred fifty three rapes which where reported last year . It is around 1.8 times more than rape cases reported in Mumbai last year.

VIP bags, can you advice the source of your rape statistics? Copy paste from an unreliable source like indiansawaal.com cannot be regarded as actual statistics. If this was an official report published by the Home Ministry then, surely it must be published somewhere? I am sorry but the statistics provided above, do not seem to be right. I am a Business Analyst by profession and we rely only on researched and proven numbers. It says, Maharashtra reported 1701 cases so how is Delhi, at 453 cases (only??) 1.8% more than Maharashtra? Why not reply on UN Statistics or the National Crime Records Bureau? I am just trying to verify numbers my friend, no disrespect meant.

This recent rape incident has highlighted India for all the wrong reasons. Like you rightly said, India is a safe place but incidents like these do happen everywhere and its always better to be on your guard. In 2011, I was in the US (Bellevue), watching a report which completely left me flabbergasted. US is on top of the charts in terms of rape cases and its not just women but 11% victims of violent sexual crimes are men. Trust me women are not safe in the US as well let alone India. Perverts exist everywhere. According to a UN report on rape statistics, they following countries are at the top of the table. Based on reported cases per 100,000 people.

India is at 2 rapes per 100,000 people. But I want to see India a 0. Personally I think in rape cases we should have something similar to Saudi laws. I remember in 2006 in Damman I was on my way for lunch and suddenly a few police cars followed my a crane arrived with a man and made an announcement that the man had raped a 53 (yes 53) year old woman and he was going to be punished and all weak hearted people must leave the scene and without wasting any time, they hanged him from the crane for 4 hours and a clerk kept announcing what his crime was and what kind of punishments to expect for certain crimes.. I am not in favor of such extremes, but in the recent gang rape, the culprits confessed to their crime and in such Rarest of Rare case (legal term) they much quickly executed…

Shaluji, sorry but I don’t understand the need for sarcasm, but I will ignore it. This is a UN report published in 2010. You can find the reference to the same, in Wikipedia as well. I shall paste the wikipedia link referencing these figures tomorrow when I am on my comp. You are probably looking at the smaller picture when looking at 2 rapes per 1 Lakh people, but when you work the math, considering the 1.2 Billion population we have, it will be an astounding figure. My earlier message was meant to convey the fact that it’s not only India but even advanced, 1st world countries are plagued with this problem and your tips will help women world wide and not just in India. Also, for women to stay safe and alert whichever country they travel to.

McCullem Ashley, your comment reeks of racism and prejudice. To start with, stop using fake names to post comments. I know exactly what country you belong to. Your bad English says it all. You mind the sorry state of affairs in your own country. Stop meddling in our affairs. It’s our problem and we will deal with it. This is a site for decent people so let’s keep it that way.

Dear Shalu i read your writeup few months back while browsing i found one statement on the news paper today “Visits to India by female tourists dropped 35% in the first three months of this year, after several rape cases were reported.”

My gosh this is how India treat females …..

Thats why i come to post here and let u know you are 100% correct and thanks for sharing a great writeup of safety with all of us

The safest option for foreign women travelers to India is to go through a women’s venture offering several facilities like safe accommodation near Delhi’s airports, pick-up and drop-off, accompanied sight-seeing etc. Female foreign travelers to India could call 91-9717923793 for one such set-up.

This post will surely open the eyes of many. No to Crime. This has to be each one’s mantra but the thing is bad people with bad motives are everywhere we go these days. Thus, it is an important thing that one should carry a tool that can protect him anywhere he goes.

Hy Shalu, sorry for saying that but Indian justice don’t take right action against these rapist ,so that these kind of crime is growing day by day. woman’s & girls are nor safe….thanx or sharing this blog ,good one.

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Hello, I am Shalu Sharma and welcome to my site. Read more about me here. If you are interested in Indian holidays or you are looking for genuine information on India, then you are at the right place.

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